Iowa Code
Chapter 504 - REVISED IOWA NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT
Section 504.401 - Corporate name.

504.401 Corporate name.
1. A corporate name shall not contain language stating or implying that the corporation is organized for a purpose other than that permitted by section 504.301 and its articles of incorporation.
2. Except as authorized by subsections 3 and 4, a corporate name must be distinguishable upon the records of the secretary of state from:
a. The corporate name of any other nonprofit or business corporation incorporated or authorized to do business in this state.
b. A name reserved, registered, or protected as follows:
(1) For a limited liability partnership, section 486A.1001 or 486A.1002.
(2) For a limited partnership, section 488.108, 488.109, or 488.810.
(3) For a business corporation, section 490.401, 490.402, 490.403, or 490.1422.
(4) For a limited liability company under chapter 489, section 489.108, 489.109, or 489.706.
(5) For a nonprofit corporation, this section or section 504.402, 504.403, or 504.1423.
c. The fictitious name of a foreign business or nonprofit corporation authorized to transact business in this state because its real name is unavailable.
3. A corporation may apply to the secretary of state for authorization to use a name that is not distinguishable upon the secretary of state’s records from one or more of the names described in subsection 2. The secretary of state shall authorize use of the name applied for if either of the following applies:
a. The other corporation consents to the use of the name in writing and submits an undertaking in a form satisfactory to the secretary of state to change its name to a name that is distinguishable upon the records of the secretary of state from the name of the applying corporation.
b. The applicant delivers to the secretary of state a certified copy of a final judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the applicant’s right to use the name applied for in this state.
4. A corporation may use the name, including the fictitious name, of another domestic or foreign business or nonprofit corporation that is being used in this state if the other corporation is incorporated or authorized to do business in this state and the proposed user corporation submits documentation to the satisfaction of the secretary of state establishing any of the following conditions:
a. The user corporation has merged with the other corporation.
b. The user corporation has been formed by reorganization of the other corporation.
c. The user corporation has acquired all or substantially all of the assets, including the corporate name, of the other corporation.
5. This chapter does not control the use of fictitious names; however, if a corporation or a foreign corporation uses a fictitious name in this state, it shall deliver to the secretary of state for filing a copy of the resolution of its board of directors, certified by its secretary, adopting the fictitious name.
2004 Acts, ch 1049, §28, 192; 2004 Acts, ch 1049, §191; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §83, 84; 2006 Acts, ch 1089, §46; 2008 Acts, ch 1162, §145, 154, 155
Referred to in §488.108, 490.401, 504.202, 504.403, 504.1423, 504.1506

Structure Iowa Code

Iowa Code

Title XII - BUSINESS ENTITIES

Chapter 504 - REVISED IOWA NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT

Section 504.101 - Short title.

Section 504.102 - Reservation of power to amend or repeal.

Section 504.103 - Limitation on requirements imposed on corporations.

Section 504.111 - Filing requirements.

Section 504.111A - Secretary of state — extra services — surcharge.

Section 504.112 - Forms.

Section 504.113 - Filing, service, and copying fees.

Section 504.114 - Effective date of document.

Section 504.115 - Correcting filed document.

Section 504.116 - Filing duty of secretary of state.

Section 504.117 - Appeal from secretary of state’s refusal to file document.

Section 504.118 - Evidentiary effect of copy of filed document.

Section 504.119 - Certificate of existence.

Section 504.120 - Penalty for signing false document.

Section 504.131 - Powers.

Section 504.132 - Secretary of state — internet site.

Section 504.141 - Chapter definitions.

Section 504.142 - Notice.

Section 504.151 - Judicial relief.

Section 504.201 - Incorporators.

Section 504.202 - Articles of incorporation.

Section 504.203 - Incorporation.

Section 504.204 - Liability for preincorporation transactions.

Section 504.205 - Organization of corporation.

Section 504.206 - Bylaws.

Section 504.207 - Emergency bylaws and powers.

Section 504.208 - Foreign-trade zone corporation.

Section 504.301 - Purposes.

Section 504.302 - General powers.

Section 504.303 - Emergency powers.

Section 504.304 - Ultra vires.

Section 504.401 - Corporate name.

Section 504.402 - Reserved name.

Section 504.403 - Registered name.

Section 504.501 - Registered office and registered agent.

Section 504.502 - Change of registered office or registered agent.

Section 504.503 - Resignation of registered agent.

Section 504.504 - Service on corporation.

Section 504.601 - Admission.

Section 504.602 - Consideration.

Section 504.603 - No requirement of members.

Section 504.611 - Differences in rights and obligations of members.

Section 504.612 - Transfers.

Section 504.613 - Member’s liability to third parties.

Section 504.614 - Member’s liability for dues, assessments, and fees.

Section 504.615 - Creditor’s action against member.

Section 504.621 - Resignation.

Section 504.622 - Termination, expulsion, or suspension.

Section 504.623 - Purchase of memberships.

Section 504.631 - Derivative proceedings — definition.

Section 504.632 - Standing.

Section 504.633 - Demand.

Section 504.634 - Stay of proceedings.

Section 504.635 - Dismissal.

Section 504.636 - Discontinuance or settlement.

Section 504.637 - Payment of expenses.

Section 504.638 - Applicability to foreign corporations.

Section 504.641 - Delegates.

Section 504.701 - Annual and regular meetings.

Section 504.702 - Special meeting.

Section 504.702A - Remote participation in meetings of members.

Section 504.703 - Court-ordered meeting.

Section 504.704 - Action by written consent.

Section 504.705 - Notice of meeting.

Section 504.706 - Waiver of notice.

Section 504.707 - Record date — determining members entitled to notice and vote.

Section 504.708 - Action by written ballot.

Section 504.709 - Conduct of meetings.

Section 504.711 - Members’ list for meeting.

Section 504.712 - Voting entitlement generally.

Section 504.713 - Quorum requirements.

Section 504.714 - Voting requirements.

Section 504.715 - Proxies.

Section 504.716 - Cumulative voting for directors.

Section 504.717 - Other methods of electing directors.

Section 504.718 - Corporation’s acceptance of votes.

Section 504.719 - Inspectors of election.

Section 504.721 - Voting agreements.

Section 504.801 - Requirement for and duties of board.

Section 504.802 - Qualifications of directors.

Section 504.803 - Number of directors.

Section 504.804 - Election, designation, and appointment of directors.

Section 504.805 - Terms of directors generally.

Section 504.806 - Staggered terms for directors.

Section 504.807 - Resignation of directors.

Section 504.808 - Removal of directors elected by members or directors.

Section 504.809 - Removal of designated or appointed directors.

Section 504.810 - Removal of directors by judicial proceeding.

Section 504.811 - Vacancy on board.

Section 504.812 - Compensation of directors.

Section 504.821 - Regular and special meetings.

Section 504.822 - Action without meeting.

Section 504.823 - Call and notice of meetings.

Section 504.824 - Waiver of notice.

Section 504.825 - Quorum and voting.

Section 504.826 - Committees of the board.

Section 504.831 - General standards for directors.

Section 504.832 - Standards of liability for directors.

Section 504.833 - Director conflict of interest.

Section 504.834 - Loans to or guarantees for directors and officers.

Section 504.835 - Liability for unlawful distributions.

Section 504.836 - Business opportunities.

Section 504.841 - Required officers.

Section 504.842 - Duties and authority of officers.

Section 504.843 - Standards of conduct for officers.

Section 504.844 - Resignation and removal of officers.

Section 504.845 - Contract rights of officers.

Section 504.846 - Officers’ authority to execute documents.

Section 504.851 - Definitions.

Section 504.852 - Permissible indemnification.

Section 504.853 - Mandatory indemnification.

Section 504.854 - Advance for expenses.

Section 504.855 - Court-ordered indemnification.

Section 504.856 - Determination and authorization of indemnification.

Section 504.857 - Indemnification of officers.

Section 504.858 - Insurance.

Section 504.859 - Application of part.

Section 504.860 - Exclusivity of part.

Section 504.901 - Personal liability.

Section 504.1001 - Authority to amend.

Section 504.1002 - Amendment by directors.

Section 504.1003 - Amendment by directors and members.

Section 504.1004 - Class voting by members on amendments.

Section 504.1005 - Articles of amendment.

Section 504.1006 - Restated articles of incorporation.

Section 504.1007 - Amendment pursuant to judicial reorganization.

Section 504.1008 - Effect of amendment and restatement.

Section 504.1021 - Amendment by directors.

Section 504.1022 - Amendment by directors and members.

Section 504.1023 - Class voting by members on amendments.

Section 504.1031 - Approval by third persons.

Section 504.1032 - Amendment terminating members or redeeming or canceling memberships.

Section 504.1101 - Approval of plan of merger.

Section 504.1102 - Limitations on mergers by public benefit or religious corporations.

Section 504.1103 - Action on plan by board, members, and third persons.

Section 504.1104 - Articles of merger.

Section 504.1105 - Effect of merger.

Section 504.1106 - Merger with foreign corporation or foreign unincorporated entity.

Section 504.1107 - Bequests, devises, and gifts.

Section 504.1108 - Conversion.

Section 504.1201 - Sale of assets in regular course of activities and mortgage of assets.

Section 504.1202 - Sale of assets other than in regular course of activities.

Section 504.1301 - Prohibited distributions.

Section 504.1302 - Authorized distributions.

Section 504.1401 - Dissolution by incorporators or directors and third persons.

Section 504.1402 - Dissolution by directors, members, and third persons.

Section 504.1403 - Articles of dissolution.

Section 504.1404 - Revocation of dissolution.

Section 504.1405 - Effect of dissolution.

Section 504.1406 - Known claims against dissolved corporation.

Section 504.1407 - Unknown claims against dissolved corporation.

Section 504.1421 - Grounds for administrative dissolution.

Section 504.1422 - Procedure for and effect of administrative dissolution.

Section 504.1423 - Reinstatement following administrative dissolution.

Section 504.1424 - Appeal from denial of reinstatement.

Section 504.1431 - Grounds for judicial dissolution.

Section 504.1432 - Procedure for judicial dissolution.

Section 504.1433 - Receivership or custodianship.

Section 504.1434 - Decree of dissolution.

Section 504.1441 - Deposit with state treasurer.

Section 504.1501 - Authority to transact business required.

Section 504.1502 - Consequences of transacting business without authority.

Section 504.1503 - Application for certificate of authority.

Section 504.1504 - Amended certificate of authority.

Section 504.1505 - Effect of certificate of authority.

Section 504.1506 - Corporate name of foreign corporation.

Section 504.1507 - Registered office and registered agent of foreign corporation.

Section 504.1508 - Change of registered office or registered agent of foreign corporation.

Section 504.1509 - Resignation of registered agent of foreign corporation.

Section 504.1510 - Service on foreign corporation.

Section 504.1521 - Withdrawal of foreign corporation.

Section 504.1531 - Grounds for revocation.

Section 504.1532 - Procedure for and effect of revocation.

Section 504.1533 - Appeal from revocation.

Section 504.1601 - Corporate records.

Section 504.1602 - Inspection of records by members.

Section 504.1603 - Scope of inspection right.

Section 504.1604 - Court-ordered inspection.

Section 504.1605 - Limitations on use of corporate records.

Section 504.1606 - Inspection of records by directors.

Section 504.1607 - Exception to notice requirement.

Section 504.1611 - Financial statements for members.

Section 504.1612 - Report of indemnification to members.

Section 504.1613 - Biennial report for secretary of state.

Section 504.1701 - Application to existing domestic corporations.

Section 504.1702 - Application to qualified foreign corporations.

Section 504.1703 - Savings provisions.

Section 504.1704 - Severability.

Section 504.1705 - Public benefit, mutual benefit, and religious corporations.